Machine for erecting collapsed cartons



April 15, 1952 1 v, FERRARO 2,592,880

MACHINE FOR ERECTING coLLAPsED CARTONE;

April 15, 1952 J. v. FERRARO 2,592,830

MACHINE FOR ERECTING COLLAPSED CARTONS Filed Sept. 17, 1947 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 V24 123 lf :ZZ

126 r" f2! I/ I 4f f77 755 ZW 290 April 15, 1952 .1. v. FERRARO 2,592,880

MACHINE FOR ERECTING COLLAPSED QRTONS Filed Sept. 17, 194'? 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 l l l l l l l l l April 15, 1952 J. v..FERRARo. A 2,592,330

. MACHQINE FOR ERECTING COLL'APSD' CARTONS Filed Sept. 17. 1947 12 Sheets-Sheet 5 121 ,725 ll' Z April 15, 1952 Filed Sept. 17, 1947 f 04 j ffg 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 April 15, 1952 J. v. FERRARO MACHINE FOR ERECTING COLLAPSED CARTONS Filed Sept. 17, 194? 12 Sheets-Sheet 7 April 15, 1 952 J. v. FERRARO 2,592,880 v MACHINE FOR ERECTING COLLAPSED CARTONS Filed Sept. 17. 1947 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 Apri! 15, 1952 J. v. FERRARO 2,592,880

MACHINE FOR vERECTING COLLAPSED CARTONS Filed SepT.. 17, 1947 12 Shee'bS-Sheet 9 April 15, 1952 .1. v. FERRAROv MACHINE FOR .ERECTING coLLAPsED cgaTQNs 1a snelets-sheet 1o Filed Sept. 1'7. 1947 Ff' ZJ.

ff fag pril l5, 1952 J. 1v. FERRARO MACHINE FOR ERECTING coLnAPsEn cARToNs 12 Sheefs-Sheet 11 Filed Sept. 17, 1947 April 15, 1952 .1. v. FERRARO 2,592,830

i MACHINEFOR ERECTING coLLAPsED cARToNs Filed sept. 17. 194? 12 sheets-sheet 12 Patented Apr. 15, 1952 MACHINE FOR ERECTING COLLAPSED CARTONS Joseph Vincent Ferraro, New York, N. Y., assignor to Empire Box Corporation, Garfield, N. J.. ai corporation of Delaware i Application september 17, 1947, serial No. 774,491

24 Claims. 1

This invention relates to carton machines and more particularly to machines for opening and erecting egg cartons and the like to prepare them for filling.

During recent years the practice of packaging reggs in lots of a dozen for the retail trade has increased very greatly and a number lof cartons for such packaging have been successfully introduced. For economy in handling and shipping, such cartons are commonly prepared in knockdown or collapsed condition, requiring that they be opened and erected before they can be filled with eggs. The cartons in use have varied somewhat in their construction and various devices, usually peculiarly adapted for use with particular cartons, have been designed to assist in the opening and erection of such cartons. Some of these devices have been merely stationary blocks or holders which are of assistance in the manual verection of cartons. Others have been semi-automatic in operation, and a few have been entirely automatic, an example ofthe latter being the machine described in Burger Patent No. 2,018,396, patented October 22, 1935. Most of these devices, however, have been open to certain objections in that they are limited to use with a very specific carton construction, or they are slow, cumbersome, or unreliable in operation, they require complex mechanical elements, or they involve reciprocating parts which necessitate operation at a relatively slow rate to avoid injury to the carton.

Generally speaking, one-piece cartons lof the type providing partitions and capacity for two rows of six eggs each appear to have received the highest public favor. These cartons are commonly referred to as two by six cartons and certain of them have the very important advantage that they can be prepacked and encased in standard egg cases of the 15-dozen or 30-dozen size, without necessitating transfer of eggs from standard cases to dozen-size cartons, as has' been commonly required with some types of retail size cartons. Hence cartons of the type referred to, and for which the apparatus of the present invention is particularly suited, may be originally packed and boxed in standard egg cases, further handling or transfer of eggs not being required at the point of retail.

A carton of the character just described is disclosed and claimed in a copending application for United States Letters Patent, by William H. Allen, Serial No. 583,988, filed March 21, 1945. The carton described in said application is formed in one piece by cutting, folding and gluing a blank sheet of cardboard or other suitable paper stock or fibre stock. Said carton is normally supplied to the trade in flat-folded or collapsed form, to conserve shipping and storage space until it is to be filled. Prior to filling, the carton must be opened and erected. The carton referred to, when erected, consists of a double tubular longitudinal construction having solid front and rear walls. a cover flap integral with and directly attached to the rear wall, a slotted bottom wall for each half or tubular element, a longitudinal partition wall of double thickness secured at the bottom to the juncture line of the two halves of the bottom wall and provided with extending supporting feet elements, and a top wall consisting mainly of hinged transversepartitionelements each adapted to be swung down to a vertical position where a tab portion thereon snaps into a slot in the bottom wall. This particular carton has certain meritorious features and modifications enumerated in said Allen application and it is an object of the present invention to erect cartons of the type therein described by simple and completely automatic mechanism. It will be understood, however, that the present invention is not necessarily limited to. use with cartons of the precise character described in said Allen application. ,Y

' Another object ofthe present invention is to feed collapsed cartons of' the general character described hereinabove to and through mechanism which operates on the carton during continuous travel thereof to separate its collapsed walls, orient them to their final desired positions, and rotate transverse partition elements into their final positions.

Still another object is to open and erect a carton of the general character described herein-l above by means of travelling opening and folding elements controlled by stationary cam mechanism.

A further object is to mount necessary opening and folding elements, for the purpose described above, in a continuouslyrevolving drum or cage structure and to place control cams for the various parts within such structure.

A still further object is to design and assemble the necessary operating elements for feeding, openingA and erecting collapsed cartons of the above described character in a novel manner to operate eiciently in a simple and compact mechanism.

Other and further objects ofthe present inven fon willlbe apparentf'rom the followingA description and claims and are" illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the principle thereof and what I now consider' to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle. Other embodiments vvof the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a carton erecting machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional detail view taken substantially along the line 3-3 Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional View through the machine taken substantially along the line Il -d Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail View in elevation taken sub stantially along the line 5 5 Fig. 4. g Fig. 6 is a rear elevational view of the machine.

Fig. 'l is a front elevational view of the machine.

Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section through the machine taken substantially along the line S--B in Fig. 2, certain parts being broken away.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 showing certain operating parts in another position.

Fig. 10 is another View similar to Fig. 8 showing operating parts in still -another position.

Fig. 11 is a detail sectional view taken through I a cage structure which supports and carries certain folding elements.

Fig. 12 is a sectional View taken Substantially along the line I2-I2 in Fig. 11 showing the construction of certain folding elements.

Y Fig. 13 is another sectional view through the `cage structure showing other operating elements.

Fig. 14 is a detail view taken substantially n along the line Id-Ili in Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is still another sectional view through the cage structure showing still another operating element.

Fig. 16 is a. detail view taken substantially along the line Ii--IB in Fig. 15.

Fig. 1'7 is still another sectional View showing other operating elements carried by the cage structure; and

Fig. 18 is a detail view taken-substantially along the line Iii-(8 in Fig. 17.

Fig. 19 is a plan view of a collapsed carton of a type suitable for opening and erection in my improved machine;

Fig. 20 is an end view of the carton shown in Fig. 19;

Fig. 21 is a plan view of the carton of Fig. 19

` in opened condition'but with transverse portion disclosed in the aforesaid copending application of William H. Allen, Serial No. 583,988, led

4 March 21, 1945 and which discloses a number of modiiications of egg cartons, one of which is illustrated in Figs. 19 to 25 of the drawings herein, for illustrative purposes. It will be noted that reference is made to the copending Allen application merely to illustrate the general type of carton my novel machine is adapted to set up and that my invention is not limited thereto.

Referring to Figs. 19 to 25, there is disclosed a collapsible carton I having a cover flap 2 provided with a flange 3 which may include a series of locking tabs 3A. The carton comprises a rear wall 4, a rear bottom wall 5, a longitudinal partition 6 which is of double thickness, comprising a front sheet 6A and a rear sheet 6B, a front bottom wall 1, a front wall 8, a front top wall 9,

. and rear top Wall I0.

The top walls 9 and I0 are skeleton walls, a series of foldable elements being partially cut out of the top wall parts to form end Walls and transverse partitions. End walls for the front sections of the carton are shown at 9A and 9B, and transverse partitions, as shown from left to right, Fig. 21, are provided at 9C, 9D, 9E, 9F and vilG for the front section of the carton. For the rear section, identical elements, except that they are formed in reverse, are provided at IBA, HIB, IDC, IDD, IOE, IDF and IBG.

The end walls 9A, IBA at the one end of the carton, Figs. 21, 22, 23, 25, are hinged to and integral with iiat end portions 9a and Illa of the tcp wall. At the other end, the end walls 9B and IB are integral with similar parts 5b and Ib. The intermediate parts 9C and IUC are respectively hinged to and integral with triangular portions 9c and |00 of the skeleton top walls 9 and I9, respectively, and may be folded down to provide transverse partitions. Thus each of the elements 9A and 9B, etc. defines a transverse boundary for an egg cell, each egg cell being bounded by a bottom wall 5 or l, a partition SA--BB of double thickness and either a iront wall -8 or a rear wall 4 in addition to two ofthe transverse portions such as, for example,

the end wall 9A and the intermediate transverse partition 9C. -2

Similarly, the elements 9D and IUD are respectively hinged to and integral with triangular portions, 9d and IIld of the skeleton top wall and may be folded down to dene transverse partitions; the elements 9E and IDE are similarly attached to tabs 9e and Ille; the elements 9F and IDF are similarly attached to tabs 9i and IIlf; and the elements 9G and IIJG are similarly attached to tabs 9g and Iy.

The transverse partition elements 9D, IUD, 9E and IDE are somewhat shorter than the other partition elements, inasmuch as each pair of parts 9D. 9E, IDD and IDE are cut from an area of the top wall corresponding to only one cell Width of the carton. This construction has certain advantages pointed out in the aforesaid copending application, but it is sufficient merely to note at this point that these elements are somewhat diierent from the other folding elements cut from the top wall parts 9 and I0.

Referring to Fig. 20, the collapsed carton is seen in end view as comprising the cover flap portion 2 and ange 3 of single thickness and a portion of four sheets thickness which includes collapsed walls 4 and 5 at the bottom, parts 6B and I0 for the second layer, parts 6A and 9 for the third layer, and parts 1 and 8 for the top v layer. The collapsed carton structure, referred to at certainv points hereinafter as a blank, is

adapted to be fed through the machine of the present invention, as hereinafter described, and means comprising various holding and folding elements are effective to first open up the carton from its collapsed condition until the longitudinal carton wall elements are squared, that is placed in an angular relation with respect to each other substantially the same as in the fully erected carton. Other means are thereafter effective to move the various elements which are partially cut out of the top wall portions 9 and I0 to their nal positions, thus establishing two rows of egg receiving pockets or cells separated longitudinally by one partition wall and separated transversely by five wall elements, plus two end walls, to provide two rows of six cells each so that the erected carton is adapted to receive a dozen eggs.

The carton erecting machine shown in the drawings comprises operating mechanism which is mounted largely between two main side frame members. |These main side frame members consist of plates of steel or other suitable material li and I2 supporting respectively the opposite end portions of various operating shafts as will be described more fully hereinafter. The plates I! and i2 are suitably supported on legs in the form of vertically disposed angle members I3, I4, I5 and Ie. These leg members are secured to the frame members II and I2 in any suitable manner as by means of bolts or studs I3.

As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the general construction and operation of my novel machine is such that a stack of collapsed carton blanks B may be placed in stored position in a magazine M at station I from which position single carton blanks B are successively and automatically fed, by the machine, from the bottom of the stack through successive erecting stations II, III and IV, indicated in Figs. 1, 8, 9 and l0, and are then automatically discharged from the machine at station V. While passing through stations II, III and IV, each carton blank B is operated on by various carton erecting elements, which will be described in greater detail hereinafter, so that when the carton B leaves station IV and is discharged at station V it has been fully erected.

As is best seen in Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 7, the main side frame members II and I2 are maintained in suitable spaced relation by stay bolts or bars 2|, 22 and 23. Each of these bolts or bars has reduced end portions which pass through openings in the side frame members, suitable fastening means such as nuts 25 being provided to hold the frames rigidly secured to said bolts. 2l, 22 and 23 therefore constitute transverse frame members. The bolt 2| is located near the right lower corner of the frame members, as seen in Fig. l, th bolt 22 is located near the upper left end, and the bolt 23 is located near the bottom and toward the left end.

As is best seen in Figs. 1 and 6, two brackets 3i are pivotally supported at intermediate positions on the bolt 23 and carry a plate 32 secured thereto by suitable means such as bolts 33. A drive motor is mounted on the plate 32, being fastened thereto by suitable means such as bolts 35. As is best seen in Figs. 2, 4 and 6, the motor 35 is provided with a drive pulley 31. The pulley 3l is preferably of a variable pitch type with a self adjusting spring, not shown, housed in a housing 37A which projects through an arcuate opening 31B (Fig. l) in the side frame I I. Av belt 38, preferably of V-type, connects pulley 37 in drivingrelation with a large idlerpulley The bolts 39 mounted on a 'main transverse shaft 4I. The main shaft 4I is secured against rotation, by means which will be described in detail hereinafter, and the pulley 355 rotates idly on the shaft, a suitable bearing 42 being provided therefor. Pulley 39 is integral with a small pulley 43 provided with a groove for another V-belt 45 which connects pulley 43 in driving relation with a pulley 46. Pulley 4B is mounted on and integral with or firmly secured to a sleeve 4I supported on a shaft 48 carried by the frame members II and I2, the pulley 46 and the sleeve 4l being arranged to rotate freely on shaft s3. A small pulley 5I is also secured to the sleeve 4l to rotate with the pulley 46. Another V-belt 52 connects the small pulley 5I in driving relation with a large pulley 53 which is connected to a revolving drum or cage structure 54 which will be described in detail hereinafter.

By means of the drive mechanism liust described, the motor 35 is effective to drive the drum or cage 54, supported on main shaft 4I, at a relatively slow rate, compared with the motor speed but a rate which provides very large production nevertheless. Pulley 3l, through belt 38, drives the large pulley 39 which in turn drives small pulley 43, belt 45, idler pulley 45, small pulley 5I, belt 52, and large pulley 53. It will thus be understood that the puley 53, which is directly connected to operating mechanism comprising the rotatable cage structure 54, is driven continuously as long as the motor 35 is in operation. The speed is adjusted by raising or lowering the motor to change the effective pitch of pulley 31. For this purpose a supporting screw 6I, best seen in Figs. 1 and 6, is threaded in a suitable bracket 52 carried by an angle bracing member 63 which extends transversely of the machine. By means of screw 5I the motor supporting plate 32 can be pivc-ted about the stay bolt 23 to raise or lower the motor 35 and thereby adjust the tension on the belt 38, thereby maintaining proper driving relationship between the motor 35 and the rst pulley 39.

As is best seen in Figs. 2 and 4, the main shaft 4I extends across the full width of the machine and has its ends mounted in brackets 65 and 63 which are secured to the side frame members II and I2, respectively, by suitable fastening means such as screws Bi. Each of the bracket members 65 and 65 is keyed to the shaft 4I, a hub portion of each bracket being provided with suitable openings for a pin 68 which secures the shaft non-rotatably to the brackets. The shaft 4I supports certain stationary cam elements which will be described more fully hereinafter, and it is important that it be held firmly and rigidly against rotation.

The pulleys 33, 43 and 53 are ail mounted on the shaft 4I through the bearing element 42, previously mentioned, and are located at one side of the machine, adjacent to, and just inside, the main frame member II. The construction is best shown in Fig. 4.

As best shown in Fig. 4, the final drive pulley 53, rotatably mounted on shaft 4I as just described, is secured by means of bolts 'II and spacers 'I2 to a plate 'I3 which constitutes one of two side plates or frame members of the revolving cage structure 54, which carries various carton erecting instrumentalities. The plate i3 is preferably o f aluminum, but may be of steel or other suitable metal of appropriate thickness. As shown in Fig. 1 it is generally rectangular in shape having the corners cuit on? to present an octagonal outline. Another plate 15, similar to the plate 13, is similarly mounted on the shaft 4| near the other end thereof, a suitable'bearing 16 being provided to support the plate 15 on the shaft 4|. Suitable spacing means 11 on the shaft 4| holds the plate 15 spaced from the side frame member |2.

The two plates 13 and-15, which thus constitute side frame members or ends of the revolving cage structure 54, are maintained in spaced parallel relation by relatively heavy spacing members such as stay bolts 8|. These have reduced end portions which pass through suitable openings in each of the plates 13 and 15. The bolts 8| are secured to the plates by suitable fastening means such as nuts 82. There are four of the bolts 8| located in symmetrically opposite positions with respect to the supporting shaft kas best shown in Figs. l, 4 and 8.

The drum cage structure Si! just described, comprising end plates 13 and 15 and the four stay bolts 8|, forms a rigid revolving frame work 'which carries various carton erecting and operating elements about the stationary shaft #il as pulley 53 is driven by the motor in the manner heretofore described. Various stationary cam elements which will be described presently, are supported by the stationary shaft 2| within or adjacent the cage 54 for operating the erectors and other instrumentalities that are carried around a circular path by the cage structure.

The carton hopper or magazine is supported above the machine by a structural framework carried by the main frame of the machine. As seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, two angle bars 9| and 92 projects upwardly from the frame member li and are secured thereto by suitable means such as bolts 93. In a similar manner, two other angle bars 95 and 9B project upwardly from, and are secured to, the other main frame member l2 as by bolts 91. A transverse angle member Il extends horizontally between the upper ends of the angle members or posts Eli and 95, and is connected thereto by bolts 28, to provide a supporting rail for the left end of a stack of collapsed blanks B, as viewed in Fig. i. The angle bar |2| has a vertical ange |22 to which are secured a pair of upstanding angle members |015 and |05 which are adapted to receive the left corners. as viewed in Fig. 1 of the blanks B. The angle members |04 and IE5 constitute guide posts and form elements of the magazine M for the blanks B. These members IM and |25 are suitably secured to the vertical upstanding flange le? of the transverse angle member |2| by any suitable means such as bolts IGS as shown in Fig. 6.

The right ends as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, of the collapsed carton blanks E, which are placed in the magazine M, abut a structure somewhat similar to that just described. Thus an angle member II I provided with a horizontal fiange I i2 and a vertical flange H3 has its ends fastened as by bolts H4 to the upper ends of the angle members or posts 92 and 96.v Another pair of upstanding angle members iii and IIS similar to the members |34 and |65, are fastened by suitable means such as bolts H9 to the vertical flange ||3 of the angle member |II. The posts ||1 and I I8 thus constitute corner receiving members for the right corners of the collapsed blanks B, as viewed in Fig. l, the four posts H34, IBS, ||1 and IIB defining the corners of the magazine M and serving to maintain the blanks B in proper stacked relationship.

As is best seen in Figs. l, 2, 3 and 4, the bottom of the magazine M comprises two track members |2| and |23, each having one end thereof secured to the horizontal flange of the transverse angle member Ili by suitable means such as screws |28, each of the track members |2| and |23 be ing spaced from the horizontal nange of the angle member 154| by a spacing element |22, Figs. l, 2 and 6. The tracks |2| and |23 extend under the storage area for the cartons B, as seen in Fig. 1, and their other ends are supported by a diagonal bracing member |25 which has its lower end supported at an intermediate point on the main frame stay bolt 22, the forward end of the bracing member |25 being attached to the tracks i2| and |23 through an intermediate plate member |26 secured to the bracing member |25 by screws |21, and by screws |24 to the track elements |2| and |23.

It will be noted that the track members |2| and |23 extend somewhat beyond the right end ofthe magazine M as viewed in Fig. l and are spaced below the lower edge of the vertical flange H3 of transverse angle member A feed plate |3|, having a leading edge portion 13m, is mounted on the tracks |2| and |23, and reciprccates thereon during a carton-feeding and carton-erecting operation, as will presently be described.

As is best seen in Fig. l, the end portions of the track members |25 and |23 extend to the right of the magazine (as viewed in Fig. 1) and, for a purpose which will be described in greater detail presently, are spaced below the lower edge vof the vertical ange |53 of transverse angle It will be noted that with the stack of carton blanks B so positioned in the magazine M, the upstanding angle members Ill, |65, ||1 and IIB engage the corner portions thereof and maintain the stack in erect position. Also, it will be noted that when the stack of carton blanks B are so positioned in the magazine M and the feed plate |3| is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the single sheet portieri 2 3 of the bottom carton blank B rests on the upper surface of the feed plate |3| and the multi-layer portion 1-S-Eii projects downwardly in front of the leading edge portion |3|a of the plate Ii, and rests on the tracks |2| and |23, so that upon movement of the feed plate |3| to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, the edge |3Ia thereof will abut the multi-layer portion T-S-IG and push the bottom carton blank B to the right for purposes which will presentiy be described in greater detail.

The plate |31 carries a pair of depending ears |35, Fig. 8, which extend downwardly at 0pposite sides of the track members |2| and |23. These ears |35 are engaged by reciprocating arms |31 and 13B adjacent to the sides of the feed magazine M as best shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 6.

Each of the ears |35 is provided with a vertical slot |39 in which a pin itl carried by each of the arms |31 and 33 is engaged for limited vertical movement.

Each of the arms |31 and |38 is mounted at its lower end on a transverse shaft |43 mounted in the side framemembers and I2 of the machinej As shown in Fig. 4 the shaft |43 is provided at the ends thereof with collars |45 which prevent longitudinal displacement of the shaft |43 with respect to the frame members II and l2. The arms |31 and |38 are preferably secured to the shaft |43 as by set screws |46 which prevent longitudinal displacement of the arms with respect to the shaft.

At an intermediate point above the supporting shaft |43 each of the arms |31 and |38 is provided with a cam follower in the form of a roller |5| rotatably supported on a bolt or stud |52. This construction is best shown in Figs. 1 and 4. One end of ka spring |53 and one end of a spring |54 is attached to each of the arms |31 and |38, respectively, the opposite ends of the springs being attached to the stay bolt 23. These springs tend constantly to rock the arms |31 and |38 counterclockwise, as seen in Fig. 1, about the pivot shaft |43 on which they are mounted.

Each of the side plates 13 and 15 of the revolving cage structure described hereinabove carries a cam element |55, each of which is adapted, upon rotation of the cage structure about the shaft 4|, to engage the corresponding one of the cam rollers |5I and draw arms I 31 and |38 to the right, or clockwise as seen in Fig. 1 to move the feed plate |3| at appropirate times to feed. collapsed cartons from the magazine M into the carton-erecting mechanism to be de-. scribed hereinafter. The cam Velements |55 are adjustably fastened to the plates 13 and 15 by means lof studs or bolts |55. Elongated slots |51 are provided in each of the cam elements |55 to permit limited adjustment thereof.

Rocking of the arms |31 and |38 by the cams |55, and the consequent movement of the feed plate I3| to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, causes the bottom carton of the stack of cartons B in the magazine M to be fed from station I, in magazine M, to station II on the other side of the angle member I I I, the lower edge of the vertical flange I I3, of the angle member I I I, being spaced above the feed plate |3I a distance just suiicient to permit the passage of a single collapsed carton at each feeding operation of the feed plate |3I.

As is best seen in Figs. 1 and 2, two guide straps IBI and |62, of suitable material such as spring metal, each have one end fastened to the angle member III in any suitable manner. These straps IGI and I 62 extend above and curve downwardly around the cage structure 54 previously described, the other end of each of the straps ISI and |62 being secured to the stay bolt 2| in any suitable manner. These straps IBI and |52 guide the advancing carton blanks so that they will be within the control of the various operating instrumentalities carried by ythe revolving cage structure 54, as will be described in greater detail presently. It will be noted that the design of the cam members |55 is such that the arms VI 31 and |38 are drawn clockwise or to the right as seen in Fig. 1, just long enough to eject a blank B from the magazine into the operating elements carried by the cage structure 54 and then the ends of the cam members |55 ride off from the A described.

The collapsed blanks B, Fig. 8, that are fed out of the hopper or magazine lie just under, and in contact with, the guide straps |6| and |62. Holding and folding means carried by the re- Cia volving cage structure tend to hold them against these straps as they travel with the cage or drum. as will presently be described.

As is best seen in Fig. 8, when a blank B is adu vanced under the straps IBI and |62 by the arms |31, |38 and the feed plate |33, from station I to station II, the leading edge of the collapsed carton, which comprises supporting feet elements 6D, Figs. 19 and 20, is advanced so as to project such feet elements 6D into a notch |1| provided in a transverse carton receiving element |12, see Figs. 15 and 16. The member |12 is pivotally mounted between the side plates 13 and 15 of the cage structure by means of a shaft |13 to which the member |12 is non-rotatably keyed as shown in Fig. 16. Shaft |13 Ycarries an arm |14 nonrotatably secured thereto as by a set screw |14a, Fig. 16, and the arm |14 carries a cam follower |15 mounted on a stud or bolt |16. The cam roller |15 is adapted to cooperate with a cam |11, best shown in Fig. 15, which is non-rotatably secured to the shaft 4| by means such as a pin |18. A tension spring |19 connected between arm |14 and one of the stay bolts 8| hold roller |15 against cam 11.

It will be noted that the arm I 14, the shaft |13 and the carton receiving element |12 are all secured to and carried by the cage structure 54 and, therefore, move therewith as the cage 54 rotates about the stationary shaft 4| during a carton-erecting cycle of operation. The peripheral contour of the cam |11'is such that as the arm |14, shaft |13 and carton receiving element |12 continue their movement with the cage 54, and move from station II toward station III, the roller |15 on the arm |14 rides up on the raised portion |11a of the cam |11 and thereby rotates the arm |14, the shaft' |13 and the carton receiving element |12 in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig.' 8, relative to the cage 54. This counter-clockwise rotation of the carton receiving element |12 pushes the feet elements 5D of the carton, which are engaged in the notch I'lI, toward other carton-erecting instrumentalities which will heA presently referred to in greater detail.

Also, it will be noted that the elements 5D, engaged in the notch or slot |1| of the carton receiving element |12, not only constitute supporting feet in the erected carton, but they are also integral with the longitudinal middle partition SA-SB of the carton. Hence movement of the member I 12 relative to other carton parts which `are held by other elements carried by the revolving cage structure as -will be presently eX- plained, tends to push the center partition ESA-SB of the carton to the left, as seen in Figs. l, 8 and 15, and thus tends to erect the carton.

As soon as the carton feet elements 6D have become engaged in the notch |1I, at station II. and before the parts shown in Fig. 15 have moved very far in their clockwise travel about the stationary cam |11, other elements of the machine begin operating to assist in opening the carton.

Two carton opening fingers I8I, Figs. 8, 17 and 18, are secured non-rotatably to a shaft |82 mounted rotatably in the side plates 13 and 15 of the revolving cage structure 54. At the end adjacent to the side plate 15, as seen in Fig. 18, the shaft I 82 has an arm |53 non-rotatably secured thereto which carries a cam roller |34 at its outerend on a bolt or stud |85. As is best shown in Figs. 2, 5 and i7, a large cam |36 is mounted on the stationary shaft 4I and is stationarily but adjustably secured to the frame 1l element |2 of ,the machine by four bolts |89 which extend through corresponding arcuate slots |81 formed in the frame |2.

A torsion spring |99, Fig. 8, secured to the shaft |92 holds the cam roller |94 against the peripheral edge of the cam |86, and it will be apparent from a study of Fig. 17, that as the cage structure, carrying' the fingers |8|, is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 17, the cam roller |84 will first ride up on the enlarged portion |86a of the cam |86 and then down therefrom onto the concentric portion |861), thereby causing the arm |33 and the ngers |9| to be first rotated in a clockwise direction and then a counter-clockwise directionnespectively, for purposes which will be presently explained. The adjustability of the cam `|99 on the frame member |2, through the bolt-andslot connection |81-l89, provides for adjustment thereof to vary the time of operation of the fingers I8|.

When the fingers |8| are rotated in a clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 1, during rotation of the cage structure, they first move toward the slot I'H in the carton receiving element |12 and then turn inwardly toward the stationary shaft 4|. This relationship can be best seen by a comparison of Figs. 8 and 9. 'Ihus` in the station II position shown in Fig. 8, whereat rotation of the fingers |8| about the shaft |82 has not commenced, the fingers |8| merely underlie the top nap 2 of the carton in its collapsed state which extends to the left as seen in Fig. l. By the time the parts have reached the station III position shown in Fig. 9, the'folding or opening fingers [8| have been rotated through a considerable angle to engage the front wall 8 and the top elements 9 of the front half of the@ carton. Hence, in the position shown in Fig. 9, the fingers |8| have been operated to move the carton front wall 8 a considerable distance away from the cover ap 2.

While the hereinbefore described movement of ngers |8| takes place, and in order to hold the carton against rotation as a whole, with respect to the notch I'll, which serves somewhat as a fulcrum or pivot point for some of the folding operations, a pair of holding devices are provided for keeping part of the carton against the guide straps |6| and |62 as best shown in Figs. 13 and 14. These devices comprise two curved arms |9| Which are keyed or otherwise non-rotatably secured to a shaft |92 pivotally mounted in the side plates 13 and 15 of the revolving cage structure 54. Each of the curved arms |9| carries a blade element |93 at its free end in a position to engage the carton substantially at the point where the top flap 2 is hinged to the rear wall 4 of the carton and below the guide straps |6| and |62, as best seen in Fig. 9. One of the arms |9| carries a cam roller |94 secured thereto by appropriate means such as a stud or bolt |95. This cam roller |94 is adapted to contact a cam |96 non-rotatably keyed to the shaft 4| as by a key |91, Figs. 4 and 13. As the cage structure 54 rotates clockwise from station II, as seen in Fig. 8, the arms |9| and shaft |92 are rocked clockwise with respect thereto by the cam |96, to advance the blade elements |93 toward the carton and hold'them against the straps |6| and |62 as it advances. A tension spring |98, Fig. 13, extends between one of the arms |9| and one of the stay bolts 8| to hold the roller |94 in engagement wtih the cam |96. By this means it will be understood that the rear wall and top iiap of the carton are controlled while other folding operations are taking place.

As the parts described above move from sta-- tion II, as shown in Fig. 8, to station III, as shown in Fig. 9, the carton has been substaria tially opened to its final form as inspection of the cross sectional representation shown in dotted lines, Fig. 9, will make clear. During this movement of the carton B, the part which in the normal erected carton, Fig. 25, is the lower front corner between the bottom wall 7 and the front wall 8, is in contact with a concave curved portion |99 of the carton receiving element |12; the back wall 4 and cover flap 2.

are substantially in contact with the guide straps |6| and |62; and the front wall 8 is held against a stay bolt 9| of the cage 59 by the carton fingers |8l.

Up to the time the parts reach the station III position shown in Fig. 9, the end walls 9A|9A and 9B|6B, and the transverse partitions 9C-|9C, etc., which are integral with the top wall portions 9 and I9 of the carton injits collapsed state, are still in the plane of such top wall portions. The structure is therefore tubular and open at both ends with no means to hold or to separate eggs or the like in the two tubular elements. Means which will now be described are next brought into operation to fold the various ltransverse partitions down into their final positions, not only to complete the folding operation, but also to interlock or engage elements which will be effective to maintain the carton in its desired erected condition.

Referring now to Figs. 11 and 12, it will be noted that four folding devices 29|, 292, 293 and 294 are mounted on a shaft 295 for rotation therewith, and are secured thereto by suitable pins 291. Shaft 295 is rotatably mounted in bearing elements 296 carried by the side plates I3 and 15 of the revolving cage. As will be described in greater detail presently, during a carton-erecting operation of my novel machine. the folding device 29| pushes the transverse elements 9B|0B and 9G|9G of the carton blank into erected position; the folding device 292 pushes the transverse element 9F|9F into erected position; the folding device 293 pushes the short transverse elements 9D|9D and 9E|9E into erected position; and the folding device 294 pushes the transverse elements 9A-I9A and 9C|9C into erected position.

The folding device 29| carries four fingers 208, 299, 2|9 and 2|| which are operable, during carton-erecting operation, to press the transverse portions |9B, 9B, |9G and 9G, respectively, of the carton, into final erected position; the folding device 292 carries two fingers 2|2 and 2|3 operable to erect transverse portions |9F andBF, respectively; the folding device 293 carries two fingers 2 I4 and 2 |5, the :linger 2|4 being operable to erect the short transverse portion 9D and 97E and the finger 2|5 being operable to erect the short transverse partitions |9D and 10E; and the folding device 294 carries four fingers 298', 299', 2|9 and 2| l which are operable to erect transverse portions |0A, 9A, |9C and 9C, respectively, the fingers 298', 299', 2|0' and 21| on the folding device 294 being similar to, but the` reverse of. the ngers 298, 299, 2|9 and 2| respectively, on the folding device 29|. -v

As is best seen in Fig. l2, the collar portions of each of the four-lingered folding devices 29| and 294, through which the shaft 295 extends, has

recesses 2 and 2li', respectively, formed therein so that, although the folding devices 20| and 204 are secured to the shaft 205, for rotation therewith by the pins 207, each of the folding devices 20| and 204 may be pivoted about the pins 201, axially of the shaft 205, for a purpose which will be presently described.

Arms 223 and 224 extend from the folding devices 20| and 204, respectively, and, for purposes which will presently be described, carry round headed bolt members 225 and 220, respectively, suitable nuts 225 and 220 being provided for adjustment of the bolts 225 and 22S with respect to the respective arms 223 and 224 whichl carry them.

A tension spring 221, having one end connected to the collar of the folding device 20% and the other end connected to the collar of the adjacent intermediate folding device 202, is effective to normally yieldingly hold the folding device 20| in normal position, perpendicular to the shaft 205, as shown in Fig. 12. Likewise, a tension spring 220, having one end connected to the collar of the folding device 204 and the other end connected to the intermediate folding device 203, is effective to normally yieldingly hold the folding device 204 in normal position perpendicular to the shaft 205.

As is best seen in Figs. l1 and 12, an arm 230 is secured at one end to the shaft 205, for rotation therewith, by suitable means such as a pin 230e, and a cam follower or roller 235 is secured to the other end of the arm 200. A spring 239, having one end secured to the folding device 203 and the other end secured to one of the stay bolts 8| urges the shaft 205, and, therefore, the arm 23B in arcounter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 11, to thereby yieldingly maintain the roller 235 in engagement with the peripheral edge of a cam 231, which is non-rotatably mounted on the shaft 4| and secured thereto by a pin 238, Figs. 4 and 1l.

Referring again to Figs. 8, 9 and l0, it will be noted that by the time the carton to be erected has been advanced from the station IT position, shown in Fig. 8 to the station III position, shown in Fig. 9, its front longitudinal wall B, rear longitudinal Wall 4, and the center partitions GSA-B, have been spaced from each other, that is, the carton has been opened. However, the folding devices 202, 203 and 204, for thetransverse partitions 3A and |0A etc. of the carton have Anot yet been operated. In the station III position shown in Fig. 9, the cam follower 'or roller 235 carried by the arm 235 secured to shaft 205 has begun to rise on the high portion 20M of the non-rotatable cam 232. Hence, as the cage structure continues to rotate from the station HI position, shown in Fig. 9, toward the station IV position, shown in Fig. l0, the shaft 205 and all the folding devices 201, 202, 203 and 204, carried thereby, will be rocked clockwise to insert all the folding fingers carried thereby into the various respective cells of the opened carton to fold down the transverse partitions SA and EiA etc. into erected position, as previously mentioned.

The end of each of the fingersV carried by the folding devices 20|, 202, 203 and 202 is suitably tapered so as to properly cam the transverse portions 9A, |0A etc. downwardly during the aforementioned clockwise rotation, as viewed in Fig. l, of the shaft 205 and the folding devices 20|, 202, 203 and 204, so that when the foldingdevices 20|, 202, 203 and 204 have been rotated to the full limit of their travel in a folding operation, the

14 transverse portions 9A, |0A etc. of the carton beingerected, are in substantially perpendicular position relative to the bottom walls 5 and of the carton and are in engagement with the side edge portions of the respective ngers carried by the folding devices 20|, 202, 203 and 204. At this point in the carton-erecting cycle of operation the bolt 225 carried by the arm 223 engages,

and rides onto, a transversely projecting cam lug 240 carried by a cam member 24|, which is nonrotatably secured to the shaft 4| by a pin 242, as best seen in Figs. 4 and 17, which thereby causes the folding device 20| to be pivoted in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 12, upon the pin 201 and against the urging of the spring 221. Likewise, and at the same time, the bolt 220 carried by the arm 224 engages and rides onto a similar projecting cam 240a carried by a cam member 24|a which is non-rotatably secured to the shaft 4I by a pin 24241, which thereby causes the folding device 204 to be pivoted in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 12, on the pin 201 and against the urging of the spring 228.

The aforementioned pivoting of the folding devices 20| and 204 upon the respective pivot pins 20'! is effective, through the resulting movement oi' the fingers 200, 209, 208 and 200', to swing the transverse portions |013, 0B, |0A and 3A, respectively, laterally outward to the position where the free ends thereof snap into the corresponding slots S, Figs. 19 and 22, formed in the bottom walls 5 and I of the carton being erected.. Once the end transverse portions 9A|0A and .0B-BOB have been snapped into the corresponding slots S, the carton is fully erected, and it will be noted that the end transverse partitions 9A-IOA and B13-|013 are firmly held by their engagement with the slots S, and the carton is, therefore, securely held in erected position. Also, it will be noted that, although there may be some residual spring remaining in the intermediate transverse portions SC-i 0C etc., it is not sufcient to interfere with the insertion of eggs therebetween during the subsequent loading of the erected carton.

It will be noted that the cam 237i which swings the folding devices 20|, 202, 203 and 204, with the shaft 205, about the axis of said shaft, is also provided with side or face cam elements 243 and 242, Fig. 4, which are similar to cams 240 and 240e. For cartons of the type shown in Figs. 19 to 25 they arenot needed, but when separable cartons, such as are described in the aforesaid Hall application are to be erected, it is necessary to engage a pair of inner end walls, at the line of separation, in slots similar to slots S. This is done in order that the carton may be separated into two complete half cartons. in that case, the folding devices 202 and 203 would be mounted for pivotal movement in the plane of shaft 205, just as the folding devices 20| and 204 are arranged. The cams 243 and 244 would then engage depending elements analogous to parts 223 and 224, if this arrangement was employed, spring means for restoring the folding devices 202 and 203 being suitably arranged as will be obvious.

By the time the traveling cage structure has been rotated to the station IV position shown in Fig. l0, all folding and setting up operations on the carton being erected have been completed.

The roller 235 on the arm 235 then rides down off from the raised portion 23m of the stationary cam 3lonto the concentric portion 23717 thereof, and, hence, the spring 230 causes the folding devices 20|, 202, 203, 204, on the shaft 205, to rotate in'a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig.

V-Ifig l.

11, and thereby be drawn out of engagement with the erected carton. The roller |84 on the arm |83 then rides down oif from the raised portion |06a of the cam |86 onto the concentric portion |06b thereof, so that the fingers I8I are rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. l0, by the spring 00, out of engagement with the front side Wall 8 of the carton; and the roller |94 on the arm |9| rides ofi" from the raised portion 196e on the cam |90 onto the concentric portion |001) thereof, so that the arm |9I is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 13y and the blade element |03 carried thereby is moved out of engagement with the top side 2 or' the erected carton.

At this time, the rotation of the cage structure hascarried the erected carton past the shaft 2| and the ends of the guide straps |6| and |02, and, the other folding devices and holding devices having been moved out of engagement with the erected carton as hereinbefore discussed, theonly device holding the erected carton in the cage structure is the carton receiving element |12, the downwardly projecting legs D ofA the carton being engaged in the notch thereof. Upon continued rotation of the cage structure toward station V, the roller on the arm |14 rides off from the raised portion IHa, of the cam ITI onto the concentric portion Hib thereof, permitting the carton receiving device |12 to rotate relatife to the cage 54 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 10, and, also, continued rotation of the cage structure 50 causes the receiving device V12 to be carried around to the station V position, whereat the erected carton depends from the carton receiving device |12 and, in which position, the carton will fall by gravity from engagement with the retaining device. If it is desired to do so, a wiper device (not shown) may be suitabiy secured to the frame of the machine so as to engage the erected carton at station V and knock it out of engagement with the receiving device |'|2. However, the latter is optional, and I have found that permitting the erected carton to fall lby gravity, alone, from the receiving device is satisfactory. In either case, the carton may drop into a suitable receptacle or preferably onto a conveyor, not shown, by which it is carried to a discharge point or to a filling station for further handling.

It will thus be understood that during each complete rotation of the cage structure 5 of my machine shown in the accompanying drawings, a carton is Withdrawn from the magazine M and is opened and fully erected. The sequence of opening and erecting operations is substantially as follows, although it may be varied somewhat if desired. A stack of cartons in collapsed condition is placed in the magazine M, or, in other words, at station I, and the motor is turned on to rotate the cage structure and operate the feeder. Assuming first that the parts are in the position shown in Fig. l, a carton has just been discharged at station V, Fig. 1 representing a position just a little further advanced in the cycle than that shown in Fig. l0. As the cage structure 54 revolves further, the cams |55 engage the cam rollers |51 and swing the arms |31 and |33 clockwise about their pivots |43, as viewed in This causes a collapsed carton B to be ejected from station I position in the magazine, to station II position beneath the guide straps |0| and |02, and on top of the rotating drum or cage. The flange H3 of angle member pre- 16 vents the feeding out of more than one carton at a time.

The carton is advanced toward station II by feed plate |3| under the straps I0! and |02, being 'supported in such advance by the ends of the fingers I8I until the feet portions 0D are inserted into the notch or slot iii of the holding member |12 This position is shown in Fig. 8. On further rotation of the drum the carton is advanced to station III, the fingers ISI rotating to hold the carton against the straps or tapes ISI and |62, and the opening fingers ISI rotating through a considerable angle to the position shown in Fig. 9, to engage the front wall 8 of the carton and draw it away from the parts held by the fingers |9|. This opens the carton quite fully and prepares it for the insertion thereinto of the fingers of cross wall folding devices 20|, 202, 203 and 204, carried by the shaft 205.

The next operation is for the four groups of cross wall folding devices 20|, 202, 203 and 204 to be rotated and the fingers thereof inserted into the respective cells provided for eggs during the further advance of the carton from station III to station IV. As the fingers of the folding devices 20|, 202, 203 and 204 are insertedthey of course fold the transverse partitions and end walls 9A|0A, etc. down into substantially vertical planes with respect to the carton structure and after such insertion of the fingers has been substantially completed, the folding devices 20| and 204 are moved toward the ends of the carton, as previously described, to interlock or engage the end wall members 0A|0A and 0B| 0B With the slots S in the bottom 5-1 of the carton. This completes the setting up operations and the folding devices 20|,.202, 203 and 201i, the arms |0| and the fingers |0I are next Withdrawn. rThe carton finally is dropped out of the machine after the various folders and holding means are retracted, and the cage 54 continues to revolve and picks up the next carton from the magazine M and repeats the above described carton-erecting cycle of operation on it. This cycle of operation may be repeated automatically as long as a supply of cartons remains in the magazine M, the machine automatically feeding the bottom carton from station I, erecting it during the passage thereof from station II to station IV and discharging it at station V.

The operating speed of my machine may be varied by adjustment of hand screw 6i which raises or lowers the motor. The effective pitch diameter Ofpulley 31 is adjusted automatically by the tension on belt 30 and by the spring means in the housing 31A. The slot 37B in the 'frame permits a relatively wide range of adjustment.

All of the operating elements that are controlled by stationary cams have suitable spring means for holding the earn follower means in engagement with their respective cams. Thus tension spring |79 controls the receiving device |12, torsion spring |00 controls the carton opening fingers 8|, tension spring |98 controls the holding arms ISI, and tension spring 230 controis the group of folding devices 20|, 202, 203 and 204, which erect the transverse partitions and end Walls of the carton. Because of the angle through which the carton opening fingers IBI are rotated, a torsion spring is preferably employed for shaft |02.

The springs 221 and 220 for rocking the folding' devices 20| and 204, and associated parts, have been previously described. It will be understood that these springs will be of the compres- 

